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Friday, 16 September 2011

Retro Pencil Case

I've been off work for the last couple of weeks. As well as lots of fun stuff like days out and sewing I had a major clear out. I found something that reminded me of a conversation a couple of years back when my parents came over. While we were reading papers one morning my dad asked if I had a pen. I told him there was a pencil case by him. He retrieved the pencil case and he and mum joked that I had always been obsessed with pencil cases. I didn't really understand what they meant at the time but laughed along. Anyway I came across my old school pencil case. I think they had a point - take a look at this.

Before the internet and computer games Saturdays would often be spent with friends looking in the stationery shops at all the cute stationery. The holy grail was a padded magnetic pencil case. I wanted a Beautiful Sunday one. Here's one on Flickr although I'm sure the one i wanted was a bit nicer than that (but maybe not!).

I was delighted when my aunt bought me the above magnetic pencil case for my 11th birthday. I can't remember the original stationery that came with it (apart from the Holly Hobbie pencils which haven't survived) but I think I collected all the above or received them as gifts for birthdays. Those erasers are amazing. The swiss roll, biscuit, strawberry and coke eraser were all scented and apart from the coke one they all still smell. There's even a mirror on the pencil case inside the lid.

I carted this around school for at least 4 years and it's amazing that it's still in good order. I did have the foresight to look after it. The pencil case is huge with lots of stuff but apart from one pen and maybe a pencil and eraser occasionally, I didn't use any of it. That wasn't really the point though. It wasn't exactly a typical pencil case in your average 1980s class. It was a bit of a novelty and got passed around during lessons with everyone taking a look at all the things and sniffing the erasers and pens. I didn't use the notepads but friends would scribble notes in it for me while it was being passed around.

The contents are:

1 Tiny Love hearts pencil sharpener (Lemon - made in Japan).

2 Strawberry perfumed eraser - Lemon Co Ltd - made in Japan).

3 Biscuit cream eraser

4 Swiss roll eraser

5 Cola eraser - made in Japan

6 Snoopy Mini Pocket memo - Butterfly - made in Hong Kong

7 Strawberry Shortcake notepad

8 Ladybird pencil

9 Little set of pencils "Ribbon Pencil"

10 Pineapple scented pencil (no longer scented)

11 Green Fields pencil

12 Beautiful Sunday pencil

13 4 fruit scented pens (no longer scented)

The little set of pencils was originally attached to the end of a pencil which I no longer have. Here is an Etsy seller selling the same thing with the original pencil attached. It is very strange because I can remember the pencil clearly now that I've seen that picture!

Little did I know then that one day I would be posting pictures of the pencil case on Blogger for the on-line world to view!

Moving onto sewing news - I am currently working on a denim skirt. I made up a muslin which I didn't need to alter. I have added 3 pockets to the skirt. What is it with sewers and pockets? I used to take no notice of pockets on garments until I started sewing. So much so that I have only just realised that one of my ready to wear skirts has pockets!

The skirt I'm sewing had no pockets but when I made up the muslin I found myself on auto pilot reaching for where pockets should be. There was nothing for it but to add pockets. I was sooo pleased with them but that will be for another post.